Hegel Discussion Group

1997-8 Hegel Discussion List
THIS LIST HAS NOW BEEN TERMINATED

After more than a century of neglect, there is now a resurgence of interest in Hegel's philosophy, and particularly in his Logic. At the same time, in linguistics, organisational theory, physics, mathematics and other sciences, dialectical ideas are inexorably forcing themselves to the fore and obliging those engaged in all fields of thought to grapple with them - albeit unconsciously.
Marx and Engels long ago proved that the real value of Hegel's immense contribution can only be liberated from his idealistic and almost impenetrable presentation by the materialistic reworking of his Logic.
In fact however, since Lenin's day, most Marxists remain ignorant of Hegel's Logic and know of it only "secondhand", through the classics of Marxism. That is why, although I believe that it is materialist dialectics which provides the key to understanding the world, not Hegel's logic in the form he created it, I have established not a Marxist site, but a Hegel site.
Lenin's famous aphorism:"It is impossible completely to understand Marx's Capital, and especially its first Chapter, without having thoroughly studied and understood the whole of Hegel's Logic. Consequently, half a century later none of the Marxists understood Marx!!" is more true today and more pressing in its significance than when it was written 80 years ago.
Following Lenin :The sum-total, the last word and essence of Hegel's Logic is the dialectical method - ... in this most idealistic of Hegel's works there is the least idealism and the most materialism. "Contradictory", but a fact!, it is here proposed that Hegel's Logic, rather than his other works form the basis of a discussion of Hegel's legacy.
Lenin suggested: Hegel's dialectic is a generalisation of the history of thought. To trace this more concretely and in greater detail in the history of the separate sciences seems an extraordinarily rewarding task. In logic, the history of thought must, by and large, coincide with the laws of thinking.
Cliff Slaughter said (in 1962): "If Lenin had written a book on dialectics based on the Notebooks, it would have been a presentation of the lines of growth of this human knowledge".
George Novack said (in 1942): "No one can provide you with a cookbook of the dialectics. But its main ideas can be set forth in such a fashion that the method can be understood and used for the solution of concrete problems".

E V Ilyenkov said (in 1974): "a systematic exposition of Marxist-Leninist logic ... is beyond the power of a single person, ... however, ... such a work [can] be successful".

Here is the challenge!

How can we bring an understanding of Hegel's dialectics to the current generation, particularly those who are trying to resolve the deep contradictions throwing millions of people into poverty and despair, side-by-side today with the most dynamic and liberatory forces of production. How can we give a concrete and materialist content to Hegel's Logic by drawing on the revolutionary developments of late twentieth century industry and science? How can we turn Hegel's Logic to use in the development of new political perspectives, new organisational forms, new social and historical analyses?

If you would like to contribute to such a project, send a message to Andy Blunden, and it will be broadcast to other subscribers.